What are the Mandervilles?

[Dionysos]

I do not mean their function in their stories and the wider world. I mean what are they biologically which makes them overpowered with super-strength and super-speed?

Hildibrand can survive ridiculous falls (in some cases flying into the sky like a rocket and always survives, like Mister Immortal) and he can also control zombies. Godbert can run extremely fast and also has a magic hammer, like some weird mashup of Quicksilver and Thor. Julyan can go berserk like Hyde or the Hulk.

Their godlike powers seem to be appropriate for Godbert in particular. Godbert that is. But also since Godbert is FFXIV's replacement of FFVII's Dio as the Gold Saucer owner (Dio also meaning 'God') it all connects.

Are they canonically deities/superheroes or is this just comic relief plot armour? We know that the Mandervilles do exist in 'reality' as Godbert is canonically on Ul'dah's ruling Syndicate and is also the owner of the Gold Saucer. Whilst they are played for jokes in the Hildibrand storyline, we are also to slot them in with the rest of the world too. But if we do that, how are we to do that?

So what do you think?

 

[Dionysos]

A relevant festive update to this thread.

I was reminded yesterday when I did 2021's Christmas quest that Godbert is actually the Saint of Nymeia (aka FFXIV's Santa Claus)!

Aside from a few slips of the tongue, he pretends that he isn't Godbert and that he really is the Saint. When he performs this role during the Starlight festivals, people seem to accept that he is the Saint and don't address him as Godbert, despite his trademark gold hammer and basically his entire face and persona... He seems to have the ability to grant wishes in no time at all.

If he is non-Santa then is he supernatural or superpowered after all? I wondered if he (and his family) might be unsundered, but that doesn't really make much sense based on what I know of the lore (Shadowbringers-based knowledge as I have not yet completed Endwalker).